


Tender Care

by imtoolazytothinkofausername



Category: Phantom Tales of the Night
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-24 17:20:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30075657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imtoolazytothinkofausername/pseuds/imtoolazytothinkofausername
Summary: Owner patches Spider up after the man is injured.
Relationships: Owner/Spider
Kudos: 2





	Tender Care

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Phantom Tales of the Night, and I did not write this for profit.

Spider bit into the pillow to keep from screaming as Owner manipulated one of his appendages, wrapping it in a bandage. His entire body trembled, racked with pain. He’d lost track of the injuries he’d received after the third time he’d been thrown into a tree, but he knew that his body was covered in bruises and burns from the battle with the afrit. The fact that he was still alive was due only to Owner’s timely intervention. Spider still couldn’t remember how he’d gotten back to the inn; in all likelihood, Owner had dragged him here. Now Spider was stretched out on his bed, letting Owner put him back together like he had so many times before. Only the monster couldn’t remember ever being this badly wounded. 

Owner left off whatever he was doing to come sit by Spider’s head. “Here.” He pressed a mug to his servant’s lips. “Drink.” 

Spider turned his head away. He knew what it was, or rather what it would do. It would dull the pain, and he didn’t deserve that. Not after he’d failed. 

“Tsk, tsk, tsk...Come now, what purpose does that serve? She’ll still be just as dead if you drink it.” 

Spider grit his teeth. Of course Owner wouldn’t understand. _He_ protected his guests out of a desire to feed. He only kept Spider alive out of some twisted sense of amusement. There was no use trying to explain how the guilt Spider felt over not being able to save this woman was worse than the physical pain he was suffering or how drinking the medicinal tea felt like getting off lightly. 

“That wasn’t the worst of it. You’ve got burns and more than a few broken bones. I’ll need to rub salves on the burns and set the bones before healing them. I imagine that will be quite painful. You remember the last time you were stubborn?” 

Spider winced. He did remember. That time he hadn’t failed, though. He just hadn’t wanted to need to rely on Owner, and refusing even a little bit of aid had felt like a victory. One that had left him on his back for days. “I’ll deal with it.” His voice wasn't steady enough to make that sound convincing. 

“Spider...” Owner’s voice was soft and velvety, the way it sounded when he was at his most dangerous. His fingers threaded their way through Spider’s hair, and he leaned down to speak directly in his servant’s ear. “If you don’t drink this there’s a good chance you’ll bite through your tongue. Then you won’t be able to taste. What use do you think I have for a cook who can’t taste?” 

Spider hesitated a brief moment, then obediently drank the tea. He might not have liked being in Owner’s employment, but he’d tried building a life outside of the inn countless times in the past. It never worked out. The people around him either rejected him once they found out what he really was or they died after years of never truly knowing him. It was a lonely existence. Here at least he had people who knew what he was and accepted him, even if they didn’t understand him. He didn’t _think_ Owner would make him leave, but if Owner found watching him struggle in the outside world amusing... 

“That’s better.” Owner continued to play with his hair, _petting_ him, and Spider was tempted to spit the tea out into his face. “We’ll wait a bit. Let that take effect, shall we?” After a moment of silence, he continued. “You need to be more careful. You cut it very close this time. You’ll live, but you’ll be laid up for at least a week or two no matter what I do.” 

“ _I’ll_ live.” 

“Yes, thankfully. I’d be very disappointed if you died.” 

“She’s dead, though. I’ve had more than enough life. It should have been me.” 

A pause. “Hmm...” Owner glanced down at him and used his free hand to tilt Spider’s head up. The inn keeper’s gaze was inscrutable as he searched for...something in his servant’s eyes. Then he bent down to kiss Spider’s forehead. If it had been anyone else, Spider would have said it was meant to be comforting. “You can’t possibly save them all.”


End file.
